Lifting system

Abstract

A lifting system includes an unmanned aerial vehicle, a thruster device, a first wire, a first reel, a second thruster device, a second wire, a second reel, and a controller. When the unmanned aerial vehicle is in a position separated from the ground, the controller detaches the first thruster device and the second thruster device from the unmanned aerial vehicle, causes the first reel to reel out the first wire, detaches the second thruster device from the first thruster device, and causes the second reel to reel out the second wire.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A lifting system, comprising:
 an unmanned aerial vehicle that delivers a package to a destination by flying separated from the ground; 
 a first device attachable to and detachable from the unmanned aerial vehicle; 
 a first wire that connects the first device and the unmanned aerial vehicle; 
 a first reel capable of reeling in and out the first wire; 
 a second device attachable to and detachable from the package and attachable to and detachable from the first device; 
 a second wire that connects the first device and the second device; 
 a second reel capable of reeling in and out the second wire; and 
 a controller, wherein the controller: 
 causes the unmanned aerial vehicle to hover in air when the unmanned aerial vehicle is to unload and deliver the package to the destination; 
 causes the first reel to reel out the first wire and detach, from the unmanned aerial vehicle, the first device attached in advance to the unmanned aerial vehicle and the second device attached in advance to the first device; and 
 after detaching the first device and the second device from the unmanned aerial vehicle, further causes the second reel to reel out the second wire and detach the second device from the first device; and 
 wherein the first device includes: 
 a first support member attachable to and detachable from the unmanned aerial vehicle; 
 a plurality of first motors disposed on a plurality of side portions of the first support member; and 
 a plurality of first propellers actuated by the plurality of first motors, and the second device includes: 
 a second support member attachable to and detachable from the first device; 
 a plurality of second motors disposed on a plurality of side portions of the second support member; and 
 a plurality of second propellers actuated by the plurality of second motors. 
 
     
     
       2. The lifting system according to  claim 1 , wherein the controller:
 actuates at least one of the plurality of first motors or the plurality of second motors after detaching the first device and the second device from the unmanned aerial vehicle; and 
 actuates the plurality of first motors and the plurality of second motors after detaching the second device from the first device. 
 
     
     
       3. The lifting system according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein after detaching the second device from the first device, the controller: 
 controls the plurality of first motors; and 
 controls the plurality of second motors differently than the plurality of first motors, the plurality of first motors and the plurality of second motors being differently controlled to make a first hanging direction and a second hanging direction mutually different, the first hanging direction being a direction in which the first wire extends between the unmanned aerial vehicle and the first device, and the second hanging direction being a direction in which the second wire extends between the first device and the second device. 
 
     
     
       4. The lifting system according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein after detaching the second device from the first device, the controller: 
 controls the plurality of first motors; and 
 controls the plurality of second motors differently than the plurality of first motors, the plurality of first motors and the plurality of second motors being differently controlled to reduce or eliminate an amount of overlap between the first device and the second device in terms of area in a view perpendicular to a ground surface. 
 
     
     
       5. The lifting system according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein after detaching the package from the second device, the controller: 
 reels in the second wire using the second reel; 
 attaches the second device to the first device; 
 reels in the first wire using the first reel; and 
 attaches the first device and the second device to the unmanned aerial vehicle. 
 
     
     
       6. The lifting system according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the unmanned aerial vehicle includes an arm capable of engaging a rail, and 
 when the unmanned aerial vehicle is in a position separated from the ground and the arm is engaged with the rail, the controller detaches the first device and the second device from the unmanned aerial vehicle. 
 
     
     
       7. The lifting system according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a third device attachable between and detachable from between the first device and the second device; 
 a third wire that connects the first device and the third device; 
 a third reel capable of reeling in the third wire; 
 a fourth wire that connects the third device and the second device; and 
 a fourth reel capable of reeling in the fourth wire. 
 
     
     
       8. The lifting system according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein an angle of each of rotary shafts of the plurality of first motors relative to a virtual surface passing through a center of each of the plurality of first propellers is at least −45 degrees and at most +45 degrees. 
 
     
     
       9. The lifting system according to  claim 8 , further comprising:
 one or more actuators that adjust the angle of each of the rotary shafts of the plurality of first motors relative to the virtual surface. 
 
     
     
       10. The lifting system according to  claim 9 ,
 wherein the one or more actuators:
 incline each of the rotary shafts so that the angle is 0 degrees in a first mode; and 
 incline each of the rotary shafts so that the angle is an elevation angle in a second mode. 
 
 
     
     
       11. The lifting system according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the first wire is directly connected to at least one connection point of the first support member. 
 
     
     
       12. The lifting system according to  claim 11 ,
 wherein the first support member includes a first frame that is polygonal, and 
 the at least one connection point is movable in a plane that is within the first frame and parallel to a virtual surface. 
 
     
     
       13. The lifting system according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the first wire includes a first main wire and a plurality of first sub-wires, 
 first ends of the plurality of first sub-wires are respectively directly connected to a plurality of connection points of the first support member, 
 second ends of the plurality of first sub-wires are connected to one end of the first main wire at a single common connection point, and 
 the first main wire hangs and supports the first support member from the unmanned aerial vehicle via the plurality of first sub-wires. 
 
     
     
       14. The lifting system according to  claim 13 ,
 wherein the first support member includes a first frame that is polygonal, and 
 the plurality of connection points are arranged at a plurality of portions of the first frame corresponding to a plurality of vertices. 
 
     
     
       15. The lifting system according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the plurality of side portions of the first support member include a first side portion and a second side portion on opposite sides of at least one of the first support member or the package, 
 the plurality of first motors include: 
 a first motor provided on the first side portion and including a first rotary shaft; and 
 a second first motor provided on the second side portion and including a second rotary shaft, and 
 the controller executes: 
 a third mode that rotates the first rotary shaft in a first direction of rotation and rotates the second rotary shaft in a second direction of rotation opposite the first direction of rotation; and 
 a fourth mode that rotates the first rotary shaft and the second rotary shaft in the second direction of rotation. 
 
     
     
       16. The lifting system according to  claim 15 ,
 wherein the plurality of first motors further include:
 a third first motor that is provided on the first side portion in a position adjacent to the first first motor in a virtual surface and includes a third rotary shaft; and 
 a fourth first motor that is provided on the second side portion in a position adjacent to the second first motor in the virtual surface and includes a fourth rotary shaft, and 
 
 the controller:
 rotates the third rotary shaft in the second direction of rotation and rotates the fourth rotary shaft in the first direction of rotation in the third mode; and 
 rotates the third rotary shaft and the fourth rotary shaft in the first direction of rotation in the fourth mode. 
 
 
     
     
       17. The lifting system according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the second device further includes a sensor that detects a position of a storage device for storing the package.